


Verses Full of Light, On a Dark Theme

by VerdiWithin



Series: Talisman [61]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:14:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28711866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerdiWithin/pseuds/VerdiWithin
Summary: Everyone needs to band together to combat a new threat.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: Talisman [61]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1497371
Comments: 31
Kudos: 205





	Verses Full of Light, On a Dark Theme

**Author's Note:**

> Previously in this series:
> 
> It’s Spring, and Persephone is pregnant. She has to stay in the Mortal Realm for six months, but she found a legal loophole so she and Hades can be together.

**Persephone:**

I’m getting ready for work one hot morning when the image in the mirror catches my eye. I approach to get a better look, then turn sideways and drop my towel.

“Hades, come quick!”

I hear his feet pounding before he gallops in, stopping in the dressing room door to stare at me with concern. He's naked, with shaving cream still on his chin. “What's wrong? Are you okay, Kore?”

“Look!” I smooth my hand over my belly. I watch his face in the mirror and catch the moment realization dawns.

“Oh! Oh, Sweetness!” He crosses the room in long strides and drops to his knees at my feet. His arms close around my waist and he kisses the slight roundness, smearing my stomach with shaving cream. “That's our baby in there!”

“I know! Growing like a bean sprout.”

“That's fast, is it? Is it too soon for you to feel kicking?”

“I think another month.”

He places a ring of kisses around my belly button, and I run my fingers through his hair, still damp from the shower. 

“Were you sick this morning?” he asks.

“Hm? Oh, no.”

“Good. Let's get you some food. Then after breakfast, perhaps we'll go back to bed.”

I laugh. “What about work?”

“Work can wait. This calls for a celebration!”

“Okay, Smush. I can't argue with that.” We both fetch our robes and leave the bedroom hand in hand.

“What would you like for breakfast? I'll make anything you want,” he says.

“It's too hot to cook. I’ll have something cold.”

Hades feeds the dogs while I cut up some of our abundant fruit supply. I’m going to have to take a day off soon and make more preserves, or these berries are going to spoil. Spring is well established, I don’t need to be so hands-on at this point.

We eat out on the terrace, in the shade. It’s going to be an extremely hot day, and I can’t quite muster the energy to get moving. Hades lingers too, stroking my arm idly. He offered another tumble in bed, but he doesn’t seem to be in any hurry.

“I miss the Underworld,” I say, my eyes on the distant horizon. As far as I can see, everything is blooming and bright. The Earth has returned to life and greenery, to the bounty of fertile horticulture.

“Do you really?” Hades’s fingers close gently on my wrist. “I never thought to hear you say that.”

“Why not? It’s our home, it’s beautiful, and it never gets so hot there that I feel like a slug.”

He chuckles. “Too hot for fooling around? My poor Sweetness.”

I grin back. “Hey, don’t put words in my mouth! I never said I didn’t want to.”

“Ah, you don’t like things put in your mouth?”

“I didn’t say  _ that, _ either. Why don’t you try it and find out?”

Hades smirks and lifts my hand to his mouth, delicately kissing my knuckles. His eyes are intent and I watch his tongue flick as I shiver in response. I can tell that he’s preparing something meant to make me squirm with needful passion and I’m getting wet just thinking about it.

“Hey!” cries a voice behind me.

Hades jerks in surprise, gaze locking on the intruder. I turn to look, too. Artemis is over by my lettuce bed, dressed in her Mortal Realm gear, looking tired and disheveled. 

“Hi Artemis,” I say, not concealing my surprise. “What are you doing here?” I try to calculate the current phase of the moon and come up with a blank. Maybe she’s on duty, I can’t remember.

“Did you guys see anything weird this morning? Or hear something?” she says.

“Like what?” Hades asks, trying for a mild tone to hide his frustration. 

He doesn’t let go of my hand, just holds it and rubs his thumb over my palm in feather-light circles. I hope Artemis doesn’t notice how hard my nipples are.

“I’m not sure!” she says, sounding upset. “I was supervising moonset and that takes a lot of concentration, you know? There was this loud noise and something knocked me down.”

“Something snuck up on  _ you? _ ” I ask. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just mad,” she says. “If it hadn’t been in that exact moment, nothing could get near me!”

“Of course!” I try to reassure her.

“Maybe someone’s playing a prank on you?” Hades suggests.

“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t,” Artemis says. “There was an odor, and the noise… it wasn’t a  _ person.” _

“That’s concerning,” I say.

“Have you got any monsters unaccounted for?” Artemis asks. She looks over at Cerberus, sprawled on the paving stones, trying to keep cool.

“None that I’m responsible for,” Hades says, his tone just short of offended. “Not all of them are mine, of course, and we could be talking about a new one.”

I glance back and forth between the two of them. “Are you serious? A loose monster?”

They exchange a look, which makes me tense up. I’m not used to these two sharing a connection that doesn’t include me.

“Some sort of monster thing seems to happen every few decades,” Artemis explains. “It’s been a while.”

“That hydra outbreak in Lerna last century,” Hades says. 

“Nah, what about the centaur uprising--what, forty years ago?”

“ _ Pfft.  _ Yeah, okay, you  _ could _ count that, but they were just upset about losing some grazing lands to the Amazons. They don’t count as monsters.”

“ _ Fine, _ get technical on me,” Artemis says, folding her arms and scowling. “My point is, we’re overdue.”

“It doesn’t work like that. Incursions happen when someone gets careless, or a mortal gets too full of hubris. There’s no predicting that.” Hades shrugs nonchalantly.

I pat his hand. He’s probably right but there’s no point in being pedantic. “Artemis saw  _ something. _ Surely it should be investigated,” I say, trying to appeal to both of them to stop bickering.

“Where were you when this happened?” Hades asks, taking a conciliatory tone.

“Colchis. That big field outside the city.”

They both look at me, since Hades doesn’t have roaming privileges in the Mortal Realm right now. “I can check it out.”

“Not alone,” Hades says. He glances at Cerberus and frowns. 

“I’ll go with you, Perse,” Artemis says. “I can show you where it was.”

Hades clearly isn’t thrilled, but he nods. He knows I have resources and I’ll be fine.

“I’ll go get dressed,” I say. 

I leave the two of them out on the terrace, comparing notes on monsters they’ve dealt with in the past. I shake my head. This is rather out of my field of experience, but they’re talking like rampaging creatures are all in a day’s work.

I get dressed, taking the time to select a bra that actually fits. Eileithyia, Kynora, and Amphitrite have all done some shopping for me, but most of what they brought doesn’t seem to do the job. My shape seems to change every few days with my pregnancy. I finally find one that feels comfortable, and put on a peplos and sandals. I pin my hair up, then return to the terrace.

Hades and Artemis seem to have made peace; she’s sipping coffee from one of our travel mugs. “ Afráto’s due any day now,” Artemis is saying. “She’s just about to  _ explode _ with those pups.”

Hades grins and gives Cerberus a nudge with his toe. “Hear that, you old dog? You can’t run away from your responsibility!”

Cerberus rolls onto his side and looks affronted. “Oh, poor puppy!” I cry. I go over to cradle his giant black head. “Is Hades teasing you? You’re going to be the best doggy daddy!”

Artemis laughs. “Hasn’t he already done his part?”

“They’re so mean to you, my good boy!” I rub Cerberus’s ears and chin. “I know you’ll be good to those puppies. How many are we getting?”

Hades says, “We get pick of the litter.” He looks smug and deeply satisfied. “A puppy for  _ our _ little one.”

Artemis snorts. “The pup will be almost grown before your kid is even born.”

“That’s good,” Hades says. “Time enough to learn his or her job.”

“So you’re gonna pick the best babysitting pup? How are you gonna know that?” Artemis asks.

“Beats me, how do you pick a puppy to be a hunting dog?”

“Instinct, I guess,” Artemis says. She nods. “Okay, makes sense.”

I suppress a laugh at the two of them. “Shouldn’t we get going? Check out this monster?”

Hades stands up to give me a kiss goodbye. “Have a good day, Sweetness,” he says. His tone and expression tell me that he’s not very concerned about this hypothetical monster. “See you at dinner?”

  
  


**Hades:**

I’ve only just arrived in the office for the day when Epimelis buzzes me. 

“What is it? I’m still settling in.” I try not to snap at him. He’s still learning my moods, and he’s very efficient except for a tendency to nervousness.

“I’m sorry, sir. Demeter is here and I thought you’d want to know right away.”

“Yes, of course.” I stride to the door and throw it open. Demeter is just taking a seat in the waiting area, but she catches my eye and straightens up. “Come in,” I tell her. 

I show her in and offer her a seat. “Can I get you a coffee? I’m getting one for myself anyway.” 

“All right. Thank you.”

I make two cups and bring them over to the seating area. Demeter accepts hers and takes a big sip even though it’s very hot, a nice conciliatory gesture. Baby steps, as Persephone says. 

“How can I help?” I ask.

She takes a deep breath. “I’ve been staying away, as Persephone wants. It’s very hard.”

“I’m sure it is.”

She frowns and glances around. “Your office is not what I expected at all.”

“The plants and the waterfall in the lobby, you mean? Recent renovations; you can guess why.”

“So she’s influencing you.”

“Of course she is, much for the better. Look, you can come visit anytime you want, at least as far as I’m concerned. You and I have never gotten along, but I can make an effort. Come see our home. Come see how happy Persephone is when she’s there.”

“Do you think that’s something she would permit?”

I give a little shrug. “I think she needs time. She does love you, without a doubt. She’s torn up about being at odds with you, but at the same time, she’s not done being angry. I should warn you, she’s really been honing the skill of expressing her anger.”

“So I’ve noticed. Please tell me, is she doing well?”

“Yes, she’s fine. Healthy and happy, and starting to show a little. Eating everything in sight.”

“I suppose I should be grateful for your willingness to share information with me.”

“I don’t want your gratitude. I’d much rather see your contrition.”

Demeter frowns, but she says nothing. After a moment, she gives me a grudging nod. “Fine. I’ll work on that.”

“And stop spying on us, it’s disgusting. Honestly, what can you possibly hope to gain with behavior like that?”

She looks shocked. “Does Persephone know?”

“The Furies work for  _ her. _ Of course she does.”

“Does she know you’ve been meeting me like this?” 

Our previous meetings have all been at the house, brief discussions before Persephone gets home in the evening. Just long enough for me to tell Demeter that her daughter is fine. “Yes, she does.”

“Because her Furies told her?”

I shrug. “I imagine that’s also true, but I meant because  _ I _ told her.” I don’t keep secrets from Persephone, but I restrain myself from mentioning that.

“What does she say about it?”

“She pinches up her mouth the way she does when she’s mad and won’t admit it. But she doesn’t say anything, not yet.”

“Oh.”

“Give it some time. I truly want this to work out. When she’s feeling more receptive, I’ll talk to her about seeing you again.”

“Why would you do that? Why are you helping me?” She seems genuinely perplexed.

I sigh, rather disappointed that she still doesn’t get it. “Let me make my position absolutely clear to you. There is nothing in my power--nothing on, or under, or above the Earth that I would deny to Persephone.  _ Nothing. _ And that includes a relationship with you. She loves you! She has given you every benefit of the doubt, but if you fuck up again, she will show you how she earned the title  _ Archétypo Dikaiosýnis _ . But I don’t want that to happen--it would hurt her.”

Demeter thinks that over for a minute. “I believe you.”

“I don’t ask that you like me. All I ask is that you fake it enough that you can be a part of Persephone’s life. For  _ her _ sake, so she can have the family she wants. I don’t know how to be more generous than that.”

After Demeter goes, I’m very tempted to send a note to Persephone that our plan is progressing and her mother is softening. I decide it will keep until evening, though. She’ll be pleased to hear it.

***

Between judging shades, assessing proposals, and reviewing budgets, I set aside some time to make phone calls on Persephone’s behalf. She’s working much too hard, and she only takes time to relax when I insist. Even her latest plan for taking a day to make preserves fits this pattern. Time off to do a different kind of work is not real rest.

I have a pleasant conversation with her yoga instructor, who is thrilled to learn of her pregnancy and quite willing to come to the Mortal Realm to work with us. It proves a little harder to find a cleaning service and a massage therapist who are willing to come all that way, but after an hour’s work I’m satisfied that I’ve done a few things to make her life easier.

When I arrive home in late afternoon, Persephone is entering from the terrace, kicking off her sandals. “Hey, good timing!” she says. “I just got back.” She comes over to kiss me, with a big smile on her face. 

“I brought you something special tonight. Sushi!”

Her eyes get big. “Oh my.”

“Yeah, you may not like it, that’s fine. It’s just the appetizer, anyway. I’m sure you’ll like the main course I got for you.”

“Can we eat now? I’m starving.”

“Absolutely.” I set everything out on the island counter and Persephone gets some plates and glasses. I pour sauce into a dish as we sit down together. 

“Okay, this looks complicated. How do I eat it?” she asks.

I show her how and watch with fascination as she takes a bite of raw fish and rice. She chews skeptically but after a few moments her face lights with amazement. I grin and take a piece for myself. “So how was the monster thing?”

She swallows and starts preparing another piece. “We didn’t see any real evidence. Artemis is half convinced that she was overtired and imagining things.”

“What do you think?”

She chews her second piece while she thinks about it. “Well, I would have agreed, but I saw this one odd thing. There was a river nearby, and on the bank was something I couldn’t figure out. Deep gouges in the mud.”

“Like someone dragging something to the water? A boat?”

“I suppose that could explain it.”

“But you don’t think so?”

She shrugs. “I really don’t know. It just gave me an uneasy feeling.”

I think it over. Artemis did her duty in reporting it to us. “We should probably tell Zeus, just in case.”

“You think this warrants his attention?”

“Both you and Artemis were spooked. That could mean something. It can’t hurt to let him know.” I take out my phone and start tapping. A text should be sufficient for something this tenuous. I have no desire to go visit my brother when I could be with Persephone instead.

***

The next morning, I’m in no particular hurry to get ready for work. A light rain begins to fall while we’re cleaning up from breakfast, bringing a cooling breeze into the house. I stand by the terrace doors with my coffee cup and inhale the fresh scent. The sight of the raindrops pattering on the bright flowers and growing vegetables out in the garden is soothing. The distant vineyards and the mountains beyond them complete the beautiful picture.

Cerberus pads up and sits down next to me. “Welcome home, you. Were you out visiting your puppy mama all night?”

He looks at me with disdain and gives a little huff, then walks away. 

There's something about the view and the air that keeps me fixed in place. I hear the sound of approaching feet. I hold a hand out and Persephone takes it, lifting it to her lips. 

“I think I'd forgotten this smell,” I say. “That rain smell. It makes me think of when I was young.”

“Being in the war?”

“Not the war itself. I mean the time before, and the time after. Before I was sent to the Underworld.”

“Is that a good thing, Smush?”

“I suppose it is. The rain, the sun, the wind, and that smell. It's all coming back to me. All the loneliness I dwelt in then--you've changed all of that.”

She squeezes my hand. I can see from my peripheral vision that she's concerned. She waits for a while to see if I'll give any more details.

When I don't speak, she says, “πέτραχώρ.”

“What? Stone blood?”

“Mm-hmm. It's the name for the smell of rain. It's composed of plant oils, ozone, and a compound released by soil bacteria.”

“Really?” I'm even more intrigued that she knows this than by the actual reason.

“Yup. Also, the moisture in the air makes your olfactory receptors work more effectively.”

“I never knew that.” I smile at her, rather delighted by her facility for spouting science facts.

“That's why dogs' noses are so moist.” She tilts her head and projects concern for me in her expression.

I chuckle. “You don't have to worry. I'm fine, just feeling a little… restless. I'd love to go for a walk with you.”

Persephone laughs. “I thought I was the only one who likes walking in the rain!”

“I can barely remember warm rain, but it sounds lovely to me.”

“Me too. We could walk around the house if you like. Stay on the hill.”

I squeeze her hand. “No, that's okay. Maybe let's take a shower instead?”

“Ah, I see, you just want to get me wet.”

I love that teasing, throaty sound in her voice. I cup her elbow and lean down to nuzzle her ear. “You know I do,” I whisper.

My whole body tenses as a familiar stinging sensation washes over me. I pull Persephone close, turning sharply to shield her with my body. A crackle of thunder and a bright flash behind me announce my brother's arrival.

I release Persephone and whirl. “What the hell's wrong with you, showing up like that? You're so in love with your drama, you don't care about scaring people?”

Zeus draws a breath. “There are monsters loose! I need you.”

“Um…” I exchange a glance with Persephone.

“Never mind that stupid Agreement! I'm superseding it for the duration. Your treaty with me takes precedence.”

“Okay, but if Demeter flips out, it’s on your head,” I say.

“She won’t,” Persephone says. I turn to look at her, intrigued by her confident tone, and see that she’s already fully kitted in her Fury outfit. “Not if she ever wants to meet her grandchild, anyway.”

I open my mouth to begin a rant about Persephone risking her safety and the baby’s, but her eyes narrow fiercely at me. She reaches into the aether and in a moment she’s holding her mace with the quartz head that Hephaestus made for her. My lip twitches involuntarily. 

“You are going to be  _ very _ careful,” I say. 

“Certainly. And so will _ you. _ ”

“ _ Great _ ,” says Zeus, rolling his eyes. “If you two are all done, can we go take down some monsters?”

“Yeah, fine.” I pull my bident and morph my robe to my armor. 

Persephone smiles at me, a quick lift at the corner of her mouth that tells me more than she knows. “Nice legs,” she says. “You should wear short skirts more often.”

We clearly need to add more costumes to our repertoire. “Oh, this old thing? I can go shorter.”

She raises an eyebrow. “You go any shorter you're gonna be flashing people.”

“Come  _ on _ , can we  _ go _ already?” Zeus says, bouncing on his toes.

  
  


**Persephone:**

We transfer together to the place Zeus directs us, which turns out to be the slope of a volcano that dominates an island. It looks familiar, but I can’t be sure. I’ve visited an awful lot of volcanoes in the past year. The shape of the mountain and the landscape around me tickles my memory.

“Wait, I know this one--” I look around a little more, confirming my guess. “Porphyris, right?”

Hades grins at me. “Got it in one, Sweetness.”

“Do you two  _ mind? _ ” Zeus snaps. “This is not the time for flirting!”

“Okay, but I don’t see any monsters,” I say. 

“She’s got you there,” Hades says. “I find it’s rarely productive to second-guess Persephone.”

Zeus looks around, getting angrier. “We’re on the wrong side.” He launches himself upward, flying around the mountain.

Hades gives me a little smirk and then takes my hand. We rise into the air to follow his brother. Almost as soon as we reach the altitude of the peak, I can see that something is wrong. 

“The caldera got much bigger, didn’t it?” I ask.

Hades looks grim. “Yeah. Look at all that fresh rock--it’s still cooling underneath. This volcano erupted recently, and I didn’t notice.”

“You’ve been a little busy, Smush. And not free to inspect the Mortal Realm, either.”

“I should have noticed when we were here last Summer that something was building up!”

“Doesn’t that seem to indicate that other forces were at work? Something weird?”

“I suppose so.”

Zeus drops down by a group of people, so we aim for a nearby spot as well. I recognize Ares, Athena, and Hermes, arguing passionately together.

“Enough!” Zeus yells. “What's the situation?”

“It seems there’s a pair of giant fire-breathing bulls on the loose,” says Athena.

“Oh, great, something new. That’s so much better than facing a known quantity,” Hades snarks.

Ares grins wickedly. “Yes! This should be a blast!”

Easy for him to say. I look over at the steaming new edge of the caldera. There are deep gouges in the ground, exactly like the ones I saw in Colchis yesterday.

“So you guys are suggesting they came out of this volcano?” I ask. 

“Obviously,” Ares says. “It's still smoking from where they broke out!”

Hades and I exchange a look. I see surprise in his expression. “That can't be right,” I whisper. “This volcano was dormant!”

“Something made it erupt, though,” Hades says.

I look again at the gouges. Some of them extend under the lava flow. “Look!”

I point, and he sees it too.

“They were here  _ before _ the eruption!” Hades says. “So they came from somewhere else.”

“Okay, fine,” Zeus says. “Congratulations, maybe you weren't negligent.”

“What does it matter?” Hermes says. “We've gotta stop them!”

“It matters!” I snap. “It matters because--” Enlightenment breaks over me and I gasp.

“Because what were they doing here that caused an eruption?” Hades finishes. “And why?”

“The monsters caused the eruption?” Zeus says. “From the  _ outside _ , you mean?”

“And where are they now?” I ask.

Zeus and Hades exchange a horrified glance. “Shit!” they yell together.

“What?”

“Aetna!” Hades says. “Come on.”

I have only a moment or two in the Narrow Spaces to contemplate the awfulness of what might be awaiting us. Hecate gave me vague information about monsters buried under Aetna, abominations predating the establishment of the Triarchy. 

We all emerge on the Plain of Catania, in the shadow of the looming mountain. My mother’s house is far to the West, but nonetheless it smells of home. I hear birdsong and the distant sounds of a mortal settlement. 

“I don’t see any monsters here,” Ares complains. “Are we  _ sure _ this is where they went?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Hades says. “If they made Porphyris erupt, then Aetna must be guarded.”

“Artemis encountered something yesterday in Colchis. I think it’s the same creatures,” I put in. “I wonder what they were looking for there?”

“You three go round up the others,” Zeus orders, pointing to his children and Hermes. “Tell them to hurry!” He waits until they go before addressing Hades. “When’s the last time you inspected here?”

He frowns. “We were here briefly in the Winter. There was a minor earthquake.”

“But you didn’t check up on that?” Zeus asks.

“We were a little preoccupied. I was slightly poisoned at the time,” I say.

Zeus scowls but doesn’t respond. 

“Also I’ve been to visit my mother and I didn’t notice anything odd. She lives here, wouldn’t she say something?”

“You tell me,” Zeus says. “I’m past guessing what Demeter will do next.”

“That’s not really fair,” Hades says. “She’s been pushed past her endurance and she’s working hard to do better.”

I smile at him, thrilled that he’s so willing to treat her as part of our family.

A bunch of people show up suddenly: Athena, Ares, and Hermes return with Hera, Hephaestus, Artemis, and Hestia. Hades summons Hecate and I summon the Furies. Everyone begins talking all at once, despite Zeus’s efforts to quiet them. Then my mother arrives, and frowns at me and Hades, but says nothing. 

Poseidon and Amphrite pop in a moment later and he opens his mouth immediately. “Shut up, all of you!” 

“ _ Thank  _ you,” Zeus says, looking fed up. “Who has actually seen these creatures?”

No one says a word for a minute. 

“Well, I  _ heard _ them,” Artemis says. “And some of my nymph friends brought some weird reports.”

“There are fields on fire in Attica,” Athena says. “And the mortals reported giant bulls did it.”

I exchange a glance with my mother. We know those fields. The mortals may go hungry if they can’t get the fires under control.

“Some of my cyclopes have seen them, too,” Hephaestus says. “The monsters were trying to dig into Methana a while ago, but they ran off.”

“Which confirms they’re trying to do something with volcanoes,” Hades says.

“That is very fucking bad,” says Hecate, her voice flat. 

The younger people all exchange uneasy glances. We shift nervously, waiting for one of our elders to tell us why. I’m actually sort of glad that it doesn’t seem to be just me who’s been kept in the dark. 

I grip Hades’s wrist firmly. “Why?”

He looks down at me, and his free hand comes around to brush over my belly. “There are monsters buried deep under Aetna. Typhaon. Briareus. Enceladus.” 

He speaks loudly enough for everyone to hear, and murmurs of horror pass through the crowd.

Zeus scowls. “No one has seen these bulls in Sicily, though?” He pauses but receives no answer. “Demeter?”

Mother shakes her head. “No. There have been some earthquakes in the past few months, just minor ones. That’s all I have to report.”

I catch several frowns, people shifting uneasily. They’re uncertain whether my mother would tell the truth, given her recent actions. I myself have no doubts. She’s trying to make amends. The fact that she hasn’t said a thing about Hades being here by my side tells me all I need to know. 

  
  


**Hades:**

My brothers pull me aside to discuss strategy. Zeus is arguing that we should split up and search, but Poseidon and I remain adamant that we need to concentrate our attention here. I remember the great monsters of the Titanomachy very clearly and I don’t want to deal with that again. Particularly not with my pregnant wife here--Persephone will never agree to flee to safety. 

Anyway, where is safety to be found, aside from where she cannot go right now? Better she should stay where I can keep an eye on her.

I glance over at a sudden whirl of activity in the main group. Persephone, Hera, and Amphitrite have clearly taken charge while my brothers and I are squabbling. I conceal my amusement that the Queens have simply decided on the proper course of action, and catch Persephone’s eye for just a moment. She gives me a grim little nod as understanding passes between us.

“Look!” Zeus says, his temper starting to break free of his control. “While we’re standing around with our thumbs up our asses, those creatures are out there somewhere doing Gaia knows what!”

“Which is why we sent Hermes and Artemis to scout,” says a voice beyond our group. 

We turn to see our wives standing shoulder to shoulder, all three of them exasperated with us. Hera is shaking her head. “We also started some of the others patrolling around Aetna.”

“I sent Hephaestus to check that sinkhole,” Persephone says. “The one we came out of after the Lamia attacked us?”

The tight huddle of the three Kings opens up to include the Queens in our conference. I take Persephone’s hand and she squeezes me back.

“That’s a good idea. We wouldn’t want yet more enemies getting the drop on us,” I reply.

“What sinkhole? There are Lamia nearby?” Zeus says. 

Poseidon pats his shoulder. “They won’t come out in the daytime,” he says. 

It’s still morning. We should have plenty of time to deal with that potential threat.

“We ordered everyone to call up all the allies they can,” Amphitrite says. “We’ll have lots more people here shortly.”

“Once everyone is here and we have more information from the scouts, we’ll know better what we’re dealing with,” Hera says. Her tone is nicely calculated to soothe Zeus’s self-importance.

He gives her a little smile and starts to speak but a deafening bellow rings out, reverberating in my ears and shaking the ground with its intensity. We all look around but there’s nothing to be seen. Another deep roar booms from a different direction.

“I don’t see anything!” Poseidon yells. “Where the hell is it?”

Hermes pops in. “They’re here! In the valley on the other side of Aetna!”

“I know where that is,” Persephone says. “Let’s go.”

She leads the way through the Narrow Spaces and we all emerge on the edge of a cliff overlooking a deep valley defined by two high ridges of the mountain’s roots. Below us are a pair of enormous bulls, each of them bigger than Cerberus’s large form. They have bronze horns and hooves, and their hides shimmer. Heat rises from the creatures' backs, causing a distortion in the air above them. 

“They’re digging!” Hera says. “That’s really bad!”

All of the others are transferring in around us, brought by Hermes. 

“Time to attack!” says Ares. “Who’s with me?”

No one else is in that big a hurry. 

“We need a plan,” Athena replies. “Let’s take a minute.”

“We don’t have a minute!” Zeus says. “Look how deep they’ve already dug!”

He raises a hand as a crack of thunder sounds. Lightning strikes both bulls out of a clear sky, illuminating the whole valley with stark white light and setting all my hair on end from the static charge. The bulls toss their heads, screaming in anger and pain. The lightning dissipates, without any apparent effects on the monsters. Their eyes are focused on us.

“Great, the time for planning is over now,” I snap. “Everybody scatter! Form up in small groups and take turns attacking. We need to keep them distracted!”

Zeus scowls at my taking over, but he nods. 

Persephone grabs my hand and drags me through the Narrow Spaces. We emerge at the topmost point of the valley, where the two ridges merge into the flank of Aetna. We're directly above the spot where the monsters were digging. The Furies appear, faithfully keeping to Persephone’s side, and Hecate as well. 

“We’ve got to keep them from digging any deeper,” Hecate says. “Isn’t this near where we imprisoned Enceladus?”

“How the fuck should I remember that?” I grumble. “But you’re right that we can’t let them dig.”

Down the valley, groups are forming up around the creatures, but they’re not behaving as I would expect. Instead of leaping in with all the stabby enthusiasm my family and colleagues generally bring to bear in these situations, they're tentative. Almost nervous.

“Something's weird,” Alecto says. “They're hardly even _ trying _ to kill those damned things!” 

“Go see what you can do, my sisters,” Persephone says.

They go, and Hecate with them.

“I'm going too,” I say. “I'll be back in a minute.”

Persephone does not like this, but she nods, just once. She holds her mace firmly in front of her. “I will not permit them to begin digging again.”

“I know you won’t.” I haven’t the slightest doubt that she’ll do whatever it takes.

I transfer close to one of the bulls. I'm nearly impaled by one of Ares’s spears as he runs flat out past me--away from the monster. That makes no sense! He doesn't even slow, so I don’t get a chance to ask.

I grip my bident and charge the bull, but I find out very quickly why no one is engaging in a vigorous attack. The heat emanating from the creature pushes on me with almost physical force. I ignore it just long enough to slash across the beast's ribs but then I have to step back. My arms and face feel baked. I stand a little distance from the monsters, letting myself heal, watching others. Like me, they're only making brief jabs before retreating. We’re never going to defeat the creatures at this rate.

I transfer back to Persephone's position. The Furies are all here, looking a bit singed around the edges, and Hera, Zeus, and Athena as well. My brother's hair is actually smoking from recent burning. He's extending a hand to my wife in an attitude of pleading.

“Persephone, I  _ hate _ to ask this,” Zeus says. “I’m sorry! But we need a sun god to deal with these monsters. No one else can get close!”

I want to strike him down where he stands for even suggesting such a thing, but my wife is more than equal to the challenge. Persephone’s eyes are blazing with rage, and her Furies stand arrayed by her side. All four are completely unmoved by my brother’s entreaty. 

“No,” she says. My magnificently angry, fierce, implacable Persephone. “We do  _ not  _ need that monster to fight these monsters. I know what we need.”

A dark oval shimmers into existence behind her, a rainbow-sheened portal hanging in the air like a mirage. It’s familiar, but it gives me a shiver of dread to recognize it. Persephone stepped through that portal once before. I was terrified that she would never come back to me.

The Furies glance at it and give nods of satisfaction and pride. They understand what’s going on here in a way the others cannot. 

“I will fetch what we need,” Persephone says. Her eyes are on me. She trusts me to know what she’s planning and to back her up.

I look at Zeus. “She’s right. This is all according to Grandmother’s plan, I think.”

Persephone takes a step toward the portal.

“What are you doing?” cries a frantic voice above us. Demeter makes a clumsy landing nearby, holding her scythe. Her clothes and hair are burned and smoking from proximity to the bulls. All of her attention is focused on Persephone and the portal.

“My job,” says Persephone, raising an eyebrow. She strokes the handle of her mace.

Demeter is frantic with fear. “You mean to go in there?” She rounds on me in panic. “You said you would protect her! So why aren’t you?”

“I can’t keep her from her duty. You should know that by now.” I frown. I don’t like Persephone going into the unknown without me any more than her mother does. “At least she’ll be away from these monsters.”

Persephone’s lip quirks at me, and then she kisses me hard. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I’ll be here. Guarding your back.”

“Persephone, please don’t do this!” Demeter cries. “I know I have no right to tell you what to do, but anything could be in there.”

“This is exactly how Gaia summoned me when we first spoke,” Persephone says. “She and I have unfinished business. I think that’s what this is.”

I nod, remembering our odd adventure beyond Tartarus. “Twice now Grandmother has involved herself, and not done anything overtly hostile.”

Persephone smiles at me. I can see that she’s pleased that I’m standing up for her, confident in her strength and ability to take care of herself. I take a deep breath, doing my best to hide my terror and guilt.

“I’ll be fine. You make sure to look out for yourself, you hear me?” she says.

I’m delighted by her ferocity. “I will. Promise.”

She pats my cheek and turns away, disappearing into the black portal. 

  
  


**Persephone:**

It’s not like the first time. When I entered the portal that manifested in Elysium, I was terrified. I had never encountered an entity on the level of Gaia and had no idea what to expect. I brought along a treasure box entrusted to me by Athena, containing Hephaestus’s seed. I assisted with Gaia’s act of conception.

It was altogether a  _ very _ strange day. 

I do hope I don’t have the same reaction today as I had then. I slept for most of the next two days after I first met Gaia. I don’t have time for that right now. The last time, there was a long interlude of darkness that confused me. This time, it’s fairly brief. In the space of only a minute or two I find myself in a vast, dark chamber.

“Great Mother?” I call out. “I am here. I think you wanted to see me?”

**_At last, the Thrice-Chosen arrives! You have steered your destiny, child. You are the Mistress now?_ **

“I suppose I am. As you foresaw, I am Queen of the Underworld.”

**_And you are to bear a child to my line. Another god of the Earth! A son for my grandson!_ **

The baby is a boy? Tears spring to my eyes. I don’t know why just knowing that is so meaningful to me. “Yes,” I whisper, pushing through the emotion.

**_When we bring new life into this world, it is a roll of the dice, Queen of the Underworld. Sometimes our children are monsters and sometimes they are otherwise. You need to know this._ **

I cup my belly, nervous and hopeful at the same time. “But you love them all the same.”

**_You most certainly do._ **

“We are currently fighting off some monsters. Giant fire-breathing bulls.”

**_The time has come. Another phase of the struggle._ **

I consider what I know of Gaia’s history and make a guess as to what she means. “The struggle between men and women?”

**_Not exactly, child. You seem to have found a reasonable balance. I refer to the struggle between chthonic and aethereal forces. It is eternal. It defines us._ **

I frown, thinking about the way Hades and Zeus are so often at odds with one another, how easily they each get annoyed by the other’s behavior. Is this an eternal truth? Like Gaia and Ouranos’s disagreement? “What do you want me to do?”

**_You are a proper Earth goddess, after my own mold. Not like your mother._ **

“My mother is a goddess of the earth, too!”

**_Her domain, yes. But how did Metis make her? From star stuff! Not you, though. She may have conceived with her power, but you were born properly, with blood and pain. You chose my grandson. You love the Underworld, don't you?_ **

“Yes. And I love Hades.”

**_There you see? At last there is a chthonic queen. There is balance between the realms. There is hope for the future._ **

“I’m glad to hear that. I will do my best to bring balance.” Even if I have no idea what that really means.

**_I require a service of you. You must rule the surface of the Earth by your mother's side, just as you rule the Underworld by your husband's side._ **

This is close to what I’m already doing, but I had hoped that it wouldn’t be a permanent arrangement. “How can I do both?”

**_Plenty of delegation, child. It can be done; you have already set your feet on the proper path. If you are lucky, your child shall help._ **

“Last time, you gave me a choice. This time, it's a requirement?”

**_It is simply what will be, child. You were the one to bring the necessary seed to me. Will you aid my son’s birth now?_ **

“It’s time for Mithras to come into the world? Of course I will help.”

**_I have summoned my son. While we wait, there are a few more things I must tell you._ **

***

Mithras arrives at a run, appearing out of the darkness with a sharp gasp.

“Spring lady!” he cries. “The hour of my birth is here!”

It's hard to resist his exuberance. He's a slender orange-pink god with nubby horns and whirling sparkly eyes. He grabs me in a hug, and I'm relieved that unlike the first time we met, this time he's wearing clothes. 

“Hello! It's so good to see you!”

“Are you going to help me get born?” he asks, taking hold of my hand. 

“Yes, indeed. Spring is well established. It's your time to shine!”

He giggles happily and bounces on his toes.

**_Before you go, I have one last gift, Granddaughter. It will serve as protection for those who need it most._ **

The pomegranate head of my mace begins to glow and give off waves of heat. It's full of power, compact and vibrating slightly with potential. “Thank you, Great Mother.”

**_Use it wisely, Thrice-Chosen. Goodbye, my son. You must come see me soon and tell me all the news!_ **

“Goodbye, Mother. I will make you proud, I promise!” 

Gaia's deep chuckle rumbles like an avalanche. 

**_Without a doubt you will, my son!_ **

Mithras leads the way out of the chamber. He keeps up a stream of chatter as we go, talking about his hopes and plans, how he imagines life on the surface will be. I wonder what exactly is my role here. 

“Why is it that you need me?” I ask. “You can walk and talk, you're fully grown. I'm not a midwife, anyway.”

“I'm not sure,” he says. “I think it may be because we both have rebirth aspects. Mine is an unusual birth, you must admit.”

“Well, sure. You're proceeding right from conception to coming up out of the Earth in a few months.”

“Yes! I'm like a… there's a name for it, isn't there?”

“A revenant, maybe?”

“No, that's not it. It's a really cool name.”

“Oh, I know. You mean zombie.”

“That's it! “

“Well, that's one of my powers, bringing back the dead. Is that what I'm supposed to do?”

“I don't know… but I think… this is as far as I can go.” He stops, panting slightly.

We’re still in a dark tunnel, though I can see faint light ahead. I hope it’s the portal. “You're not coming with me?”

“I can’t. There is something holding me back. Maybe… you have to pull me from the other side.”

“So I'm a midwife after all.”

He grins. “If you please, Spring lady!”

  
  


**Hades:**

I stay near the portal, keeping a sharp eye on the bulls' movements. One of them is gradually approaching my position. I stand ready. I'll make certain that Persephone will be able to return in perfect safety. Whatever it takes. 

The damn thing is getting too fucking close. Various people are taking turns attacking it, but they're forced back by the heat. Hermes darts in with a spear but barely manages to scratch the beast. One of my nephews, Ancaeus I think, takes a turn but he manages to turn the monster directly towards me. 

I step out to meet the creature, driving my bident into its shoulder. It bellows and gallops away, but not before my arms and face are stinging from the creature's flaming skin. Someone comes up on my right. It's Demeter with her scythe. 

She nods firmly to me. “I'll help you. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

Out of nowhere a horse gallops up to the bull with a man on its back--another of my nephews--who lobs a spear. The horse gallops a short distance away and the man jumps down. Ancaeus climbs aboard and the process repeats.

“Is that… my son?” Demeter asks.

“Yes, that’s Arion. The idiot, he’s going to get burned!”

Demeter makes a high-pitched noise of distress. I wish I could reassure her. Knowing that both her children are in peril at this moment is tearing her apart. Arion returns to the group of immortals and another of his half-brothers mounts up for a quick foray to attack the bulls.

The creature makes a bellow of pain and turns straight for me--and the portal. Demeter unleashes a terrible shriek and runs at the beast, swinging her scythe in a circle. She opens a big wound in the bull's side and has to retreat immediately.

Leaving only me between the monster and the portal where my wife could emerge at any moment. I plant my feet wide and level my bident. I'm not moving. Not for any reason.

The bull paws the ground a few times. It locks its eyes on me. Off in the distance the other monster makes a trumpeting call, and I hear thunder and see lightning down the valley. The creature in front of me answers the call and charges straight at me. 

I don't move until it's nearly on top of me. I lunge with my bident and open a slash between its eyes. The heat is brutal; I feel my skin crisping immediately. My backswing takes my arm under the creature's jaw and it snaps faster than I could have believed.

“Shit!” I yell. It's got hold of my right forearm. I try to pull away but I feel the familiar sensation of teeth sinking into my flesh. “Let go, you bastard!”

I pass the bident to my left hand and jab hard. The heat is overwhelming and I'm starting to feel faint. Something gives way inside my arm and I scream.

“Fucking monster, enough!” I shove the point of my weapon into the creature's eye and twist hard at the same time. Blood is spurting everywhere and the creature's flaming skin is cooking me from the outside in. My arm rips right off into its mouth and I collapse to the ground.

The bull swallows my arm in one gulp and glares at me as if contemplating where to bite next. I'm bracing myself for the worst when the monster turns away with an indignant bray. I see Demeter digging her scythe into the creature's underbelly. It turns away from us, galloping a little way toward the others who are converging to attack.

“You son of a bitch!” I yell. “You think getting eaten scares me? I hope you choke on it!” I’m just glad it wasn’t my left hand since I wouldn’t want to lose my wedding ring. As it is, I’m grateful the monster chomped and ran. The burns on my chest and face from the encounter are painfully blistered.

I survey the damage. My right arm is gone below the elbow. I grip the stump with my left hand to try to slow the bleeding. I’m lightheaded already and make no attempt to get up. I can see down the slope that Ares and Athena and some others are fighting the bull back, but it refuses to yield ground. I start feeling dizzy and seeing spots. I really don't want to pass out on a battlefield. Not when Persephone needs me!

There's a noise behind me and a wash of power. I don’t have the energy to even turn to check. A small figure steps over me and pauses to glance down. Persephone. She gives me a little smile but says nothing. There's another bellow from the bull and I feel the impact of hoofbeats through the ground.

“Run!” I croak.

“Like hell I will,” Persephone says. She bends to pick up my dropped weapon and turns away. 

My vision is darkening as I slump to the ground. I struggle to stay alert but catch only a few impressions.

Persephone running flat-out at the monster, wielding my bident and her mace, which is shedding an eerily bright light. The creature staggering back from her attack. The Furies converging to protect her. The beast’s blood all over her armor. Her mouth wide in a scream of defiance as she whacks the monster with the glowing mace.

I let my eyes close for a moment. When I open them again, Poseidon is looking down at me. He's nonchalantly holding out a belt.

“Come on, bro. No time for a nap,” he says.

I take the belt and wrap it around the stump of my arm, yank it tight. “You want to go help my wife, maybe?”

“She’s doing okay. Seems like she ought to get her chance in the spotlight.”

“Do I have to remind you she’s pregnant?”

“Fine, spoilsport,” he sighs dramatically.

He manifests his trident and runs up next to Persephone, then hurls his weapon right into the monster's neck. A couple of others approach, but I barely notice them. Persephone is coming back to me. I struggle to sit upright. She looks pleased with herself but gives me a glare of mock disgust.

My wife drops her mace and my bident nearby and kneels at my side. A raised eyebrow is her only reaction to my lack of an arm.

“I leave you alone for an hour and find you like this?” she says.

“It's just a scratch, Sweetness. If you have a moment?”

“Certainly.”

She swings her leg over my thighs, forcing me to lie down again. Then she grabs the stump and removes the belt tourniquet, heedless of my blood. I feel her power flowing and then pain. Terrible, hot, shooting pain such as I haven't known for many centuries. 

I pound my left fist into the dirt, a strangled groan escaping me. I have to close my eyes as the seriously weird sensation of regrowing bone begins. It hurts like hell, with itching and burning to boot. 

Within a minute, it's over. Persephone pats my chest. “There you go, Smush. All back together.”

I open my eyes and grin at her through my panting. My arm is whole and my burns are gone. “Thank you, that’s much better. You’re very handy to have around.”

She groans and rolls her eyes. “Please, you would have grown it back without help.”

“Sure, but it would take a few weeks. In the meantime I have a use for this hand.” I wiggle my regrown fingers and then reach around to pinch her ass.

“Scoundrel!”

“You know it. Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yes. I spoke to Gaia and Mithras, and I'm supposed to help him get born now.”

I glance over at the portal. It's still there, though I think it's narrowing. “That's a pretty weird statement.”

“I know. I'm not sure how to do this.”

I stand up and retrieve our weapons from the ground. “I'll keep an eye out while you work.”

“Thank you, Smush. You're sure you're okay so soon?”

“Not my first battle wounds, Kore. I'm good for a while yet.” I try to sound reassuring but she’s not fooled. 

She glances down the valley at the pair of bulls. They’re surrounded by a large group of beings who are taking turns making short attacks. She nods, satisfied. “I'm going to hang onto you, okay?”

“Whatever you need.”

She grabs a tight fistful of my kilt and turns toward the portal. I face the opposite direction, holding both our weapons, scanning all around. One bull in the distance is trying to break free of its attackers. I'm concerned about this but certainly there are plenty of others to deal with it. I feel the flow of Persephone's power, tightly focused on the portal.

“It's like he's fighting,” she says. “Or there's something else resisting me.”

“You can do it. You're the only one who can.”

She makes a soft sound of determination and the power flux increases. I feel something building behind me, just as one bull makes good its escape. Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, and Hermes are chasing it, but it's trending in this direction. 

“I don't want to jog your elbow--” I start.

“Almost there!”

A wild cry of anguish sounds behind me, but I can't look. Persephone lets go of me and I hear her voice.

“Are you all right?” she asks. “That looked painful.”

“Oh sure!” says a voice that sounds vaguely familiar. “Thank you, Spring lady!”

The pursuing group stops the bull for the moment, so I turn to look. Persephone is patting the shoulder of an eager young puppy of a god. She's full of sympathy, checking him for injuries. “I guess you’re okay,” she says.

“I’m fine, thanks.” He turns to look at me with a bright smile. “May I borrow a blade, cousin? I must fulfill my purpose.”

I give Persephone back her mace, then draw the long knife from my hip sheath and hand it to him. “Good luck to you, cousin.”

He takes the knife, inspects it for a moment, and salutes us both. “The time for  _ tauroktonos _ has arrived! I shall make all my parents proud.”

“So you shall. Go to your destiny, friend,” Persephone says. 

She reaches out to take my hand and we watch while Mithras charges the nearby bull. He gives a wild, wordless cry and makes a flying leap onto the back of its thick neck. The newborn god laughs with absolute glee and leans forward with my knife, drawing it across the monster's throat.

As it crashes to the ground, I nod in satisfaction. 

  
  


**Persephone:**

Hades is still panting and shivering. His skin is clammy with sweat and his clothes are soaked in his blood.

“You’re shaking,” I say. “You’re done for today.”

He finally catches his breath and turns to eye me, looking down his nose with an expression I might call haughty. “So are you,” he says.

I’m not sure if he means I’m shaking or I’m done, but either way he’s right. I nod, accepting his decree. If I’m entitled to tell him what to do sometimes, then he’s entitled to do the same to me. That’s what our marriage means.

“Okay, we can sit this one out. I think this is Mithras’s show now, anyway.”

We glance down the valley, where everyone is converging on the remaining bull. Hades nods and looks down at me. His eyebrow raises and he grins. I look down to see what he sees. The chiton under my armor is torn, and from his height Hades has a great view of my breasts. They’re too swollen from my pregnancy for my cuirass to fit properly, so I’m practically busting right out of it.

I bite my tongue and grin at him. I don’t say anything. He likes to peek, and I like knowing that he’s peeking.

A high-pitched, frantic scream interrupts the flirtatious statement I was about to make. We both turn to look. The second bull is staggering with Mithras on its back, obviously about to meet its end. 

The screams are coming from Hera. She’s running towards a figure crumpled on the ground. Hades exchanges a brief glance with me and we transfer together. In only a couple of seconds we’re approaching the fallen person.

It’s Hephaestus. He’s bleeding profusely from a huge wound in his abdomen. His mother lifts his head gently into her lap as Athena runs up and drops to her knees beside him. They’re all talking at once.

“Did you see what my son did? What  _ our _ son did?” Hephaestus is wheezing through the pain. “He’s magnificent! I’m so proud I could burst!”

“Hush, you idiot,” Athena says, with exasperated affection. “You really are going to burst.”

“Why did you get so close, darling?” Hera frets. “You can’t run so well!”

I pull away from Hades and kneel down by his nephew’s side. “The bull gored you?” I ask.

“Persephone, you brought him!” Hephaestus says. “Thank you! I am forever in your debt for all you have done to bring my son into the world!”

“All he wants is to make you two proud,” I tell him. “And his other mother, of course.”

“That boy is my grandson?” Hera asks. 

“He is. But I think your son needs some help now so you can all have a nice family reunion.”

Hades is standing behind me. “Are you sure you should try such a big job of healing again so soon?” he asks. “No offense, nephew.”

“Yes.” I hold up my mace. The head is still glowing faintly with the remnants of Gaia’s gift. I used most of the energy to protect myself from the bull’s heat when I attacked it, but there’s some left. 

I let my power flow, the heat of healing streaming through my fingertips. Hephaestus gasps and jerks under my hands, but his flesh begins to knit at once. It’s a bad injury, but at least all the parts are present, if not intact. It’s not nearly as hard as regrowing my husband’s arm. 

In a minute I release Hephaestus. He’s gasping but he looks a lot better. Hades lifts me gently to my feet, his arms firm around me. I’m shaking from the effort of healing. My mace has lost its glow, all the power Gaia gave me used up.

I lean against Hades. My knees tremble and I barely feel equal to keeping myself upright. It’s been a long day. I look around the valley. Both the bulls are on the ground, unmoving, apparently dead. People are poking at them, so I suppose the heat must be diminished.

“They must be dead, yes?”

“Looks that way,” Hades says. “I guess Mithras fulfilled his destiny here.”

I nod. Someone is approaching us at a cautious pace. It’s Hestia. She’s dirty and has a few burns, but not as much as many others. I resist the urge to offer healing. I should save what resources I have left for those more injured.

“Looks like everything is wrapping up,” Hestia says to me. “I’m going to start arranging a meal. Everyone will need time to wind down and discuss what happened today.”

I wonder briefly why she’s telling me this. Is she asking my permission? “All right. Why don’t you set up at our house? We’ve got the space for everyone.” I also want Hades to get home as soon as possible. My mother may not have made a fuss yet about the Agreement, but now that the monsters are dead there’s no telling what she’ll do next.

This was apparently exactly what Hestia wanted to hear, as she nods and smiles. “Excellent idea! I'll get right on it.”

Mother comes running up to me. She’s filthy with blood and smoke, all her clothes torn and charred, her eyes full of anxious fear. Her apprehension over our recent squabbles has been obliterated by the force of her emotion.

“There’s blood all over you!” she blurts.

“It’s not mine, Mother. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure, darling? You could have strained yourself! Think of the baby!”

“I’ll see Eileithyia as soon as possible, all right?”

She bites her lip and subsides with a worried frown. She exchanges a long glance with Hades, and he nods as if she said something to him.

“We should go home, Sweetness. There’s nothing further here that requires our attention.”

“I’m not ready to go home yet, there’s a lot of people who can use healing!”

Hades gives me a pointed look. “Aren’t you hungry, Kore?” he drawls.

My stomach growls automatically and I groan. “You know the answer to that.” That’s hardly playing fair, but he’s right. I’m starving and I don’t want to start barfing in front of everyone.

“Alecto, I need you,” I call.

She trots over. “Yes, Boss?”

“I want a list of everyone who got injured and what’s been done for them. If there’s anyone who can’t be treated by others, send them to me at Eleusis.”

“You got it,” she replies.

Mother is still watching, but holding her tongue, thankfully. I consider her for a moment. “You may come to the house today, Mother.”

She nods, her eyes full of tears. “Thank you, Persephone.”

I turn back to Hades, who is smiling at me. 

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing. I just enjoy seeing you take charge.”

I’m suddenly too tired and hungry to engage in banter with him. I take his hand. “Let’s go.”

***

By the time I’ve had a snack, cleaned up, and changed, other people are beginning to arrive. Some bring trays of food and set these out on any available horizontal surface. Most of the people who fought the bulls are flopped on chairs, worn out from the day’s work. I see Mithras standing between Athena and Hephaestus, cheerfully telling an admiring circle all about his origin and purpose.

Hades and I make our way out to the terrace to our favorite spot, the double lounger. Unfortunately, it’s occupied by three of Poseidon’s sons, Hyperus, Ancaeus, and Nauplius, kicking their heels and bragging to one another about their roles in taking down the monsters. I look around for another seat but Hades is not having it.

“Up, you menaces,” he growls. “Monarchs don’t take kindly to usurpers. Go sit somewhere else and leave our favorite seat to your elders and betters.”

He gestures sharply and his eyes are glowing just enough that they realize that he’s not entirely joking. They leap to their feet and step back, eyeing him warily.

“Sorry, Uncle Hades!” Ancaeus says.

“Aunt Persephone, can we use the pool?” Hyperes asks.

“Yes, you can, but please shower first. Go in through that door and use the guest room.” They’re all filthy and I don’t want blood in my pool.

We settle down in our lounger and Hades stretches out diagonally, then drops his head in my lap. I’m pleased that he wants to snuggle so closely in front of everyone. After such a stressful day I crave his touch.

“You know, one of my greatest pleasures in life is watching you scare the stuffing out of someone,” I tell him.

He grins widely. “I feel the same, Sweetness, though I would probably use a cruder expression.”

“What can I say, I save it for special occasions.”

He knows what special occasions I mean. His expression begins to slide into the scoundrel zone. “Now, when you speak of your greatest pleasures--”

I giggle, understanding him perfectly. His sharply tilted smile and raised eyebrow send a tingling rush down my spine. “I meant the greatest pleasure I could have in public.”

“Ah! That's better.”

Eileithyia comes up and stops where we can see her. She folds her arms and shakes her head at both of us.

“Overdid it again, didn’t you?” she says. “You’re lucky it didn’t go like last time.”

I shrug. “I really didn’t have much choice today.”

She sighs and crouches down to look me over carefully, inspecting everywhere for wounds or other irregularities. Her power flows as she checks more deeply. After a minute, she lets go and speaks in a brisk tone. “You’re fine, but you’ll need a  _ lot _ of food and sleep for the next several days. You too, Uncle Hades. Regrowing an arm takes a huge amount of energy.”

He grins. “It’s just one arm. Persephone’s currently growing two of them, you know.”

“Your arm is probably ten times the size of the baby right now!” I say. I know he must be wiped out. I was terrified when I saw him lying on the ground, so injured he couldn’t get up. 

“More than that,” Eileithyia says. “You’ve both had a rough day and should rest. Let other people fetch for you.”

I spot Psyche heading our way with two plates full of food. “That’s fine with me,” I say. I keep my hand on Hades’s shoulder. He seems content to lie here with his head in my lap. As long as neither of his brothers hassle him, he’ll probably stay put. 

Psyche smiles as she approaches. “You brought us a new friend,” she says. “Mithras is a delight.”

“Oh, you met him already?” Hades and I take the plates she holds out and she sits down to chat with us while we eat.

“Yes, he is easy to talk to, and quite interested in everyone else’s stories. He wants me to tell him all about mortal life.”

I glance over to the other side of the terrace, where Mithras seems to be meeting Hera. He’s gushing to her about the honor of being her grandson. She seems rather taken aback but is melting under the force of his ingenuous charm.

“You haven’t seen my mother here, have you?”

“Yes,” Psyche replies. “She is helping Hestia with the food.”

“I think it’s time to relent,” I say. “What do you think, Hades?”

“I’m in favor,” he says. “She acted like a team player today and didn’t make too much fuss over you.”

“I believe she is genuinely contrite,” Psyche says. “She certainly feels regret for trying to control you.”

“I’ll go speak to her when I’m done.” 

Psyche looks pleased by this development. She smiles and tells us all about her latest art project, down to the tiny details. I know she’s doing this to give us an excuse to rest, and I’m grateful to her.

When I finish eating, I rise from the chair, give Hades a little pat, and go into the house. My mother is in the kitchen with Hestia, putting more food out. She sees me approaching and stops what she’s doing. Hera is sipping a drink and talking with them, but steps back to allow me to speak.

Mama smiles nervously at me. “Am I overstepping, dear? I can go if you want.”

“No, Mama, it’s fine. Thank you for helping.”

“May I come talk to you in private? Perhaps tomorrow?”

“I think that’s a very good idea.”

She nods, visibly relieved. “To show you how earnest I am, I would like to suspend the clause in our Agreement that restricts Hades from the Mortal Realm. Before these witnesses, I hereby revoke all claim to control his location.”

Hera and Hestia look wide-eyed, but they nod in acknowledgment of my mother’s oath.

“Thank you, Mother, I’ll tell him. I look forward to our talk tomorrow. Let’s make it in the afternoon. I’m supposed to rest.”

“Of course, darling.”

She smiles with eagerness to please. It almost gives me pain to see my fierce mother so compliant. I hope we can reach a new footing of mutual respect. I smile back and take another plate of food, then head outside.

Zeus catches me on my way back to the terrace. “Persephone--I just wanted to apologize for earlier. You understand, I only asked because I didn’t see any other choice?”

“I do understand. For my part, I’m sorry for being high-handed.”

He waves this aside. “The job got done, that’s what’s important.”

Zeus follows me to where Hades is reclining on our lounger and we both sit down. Hades welcomes me back by pulling me to sit between his knees with his arms wrapped around me. I know he’s feeling the aftereffects of fear, since he let me go into a portal to the unknown once again. I don’t mind. His touch is deeply soothing.

Poseidon sits down nearby and begins chatting with Zeus. Hades pretty much ignores them until they start talking about him.

“Did you see the way he was screaming obscenities at that monster?” Poseidon says. “I haven’t seen him behave like that while sober in centuries.”

“That suggests you’ve seen him like that while drunk,” I say. 

I’m eager for a story. Behind me, Hades groans softly and tries to hide his face behind my shoulder. He can’t really make himself that short so his eyes peek out, glaring at his chortling brothers.

“Oh, what about that time he was so drunk he took off all his clothes and went tearing through the construction site of Olympus?” Zeus says.

“That one was good! Is that the time he was doing cartwheels?” Poseidon asks.

“Naked cartwheels?” I giggle, trying to picture this. 

“It wasn’t his fault, Silenus egged him on,” Zeus says. He glances around and lowers his voice. “And then they started making up rude songs about Demeter.”

I can’t help laughing outright. I wonder who Silenus is. I think Hades has mentioned him but I can’t remember any details. 

“Whatever happened to Silenus?” Poseidon asks. “That guy was a blast.”

“Beats me,” Zeus says. “Haven’t seen him in years.”

They glance at Hades and make no comment that he’s not participating in the conversation. He’s definitely hiding now, and his arms tighten around me. I think he’s embarrassed but not mortified. He’s capable of telling his brothers when to quit.

“Persephone, you should have seen him the decade he wore a mustache and a monocle,” Zeus says, grinning wickedly. “I wonder if I have any photographs of that?”

“You _don’t,_ ” Hades growls. “They hadn’t been invented yet.”

Poseidon and Zeus both laugh and I try not to, but mostly fail. I pat Hades’s arm consolingly. “I’m sure you were handsome with a mustache.”

“He looked like a caterpillar died on his lip,” Poseidon says, snorting.

I’m shaking with suppressed laughter. “It wasn’t one of those kinds with the curly ends? I’m disappointed!”

Hades is groaning behind me and I twist to kiss his forehead. It’s enough teasing and I decide to change the topic, but I don’t need to. Eileithyia comes up and stands by her father’s chair, obviously exasperated with us. She heaves a big sigh.

“Okay, these two have had enough excitement for one day. Can’t you see they’re exhausted?”

“It’s the middle of a party!” Zeus squawks.

“Not for long.” Eileithyia gestures, and I notice that the Furies are circulating, encouraging people to be on their way.

It doesn’t take much convincing for us to leave the gathering and go to our room.

  
  


**Hades:**

I throw off my clothes and climb into bed. Every muscle in my body aches and my eyes are gritty. My arm tingles with little electrical pulses, the new muscles and nerves still integrating with the old. I let my eyes close but I don’t really want to sleep yet. Parts of my body are very much awake. I should just wait for my turn in the bathroom and take care of business quickly and privately.

After the events of today, I ought to be exhausted. I ought to have the sensitivity to let Persephone rest after what she’s gone through--no doubt healing me was more work for her than it was for me. I should just go to sleep, but the strength of my need is not something I usually can conceal from her. 

Persephone comes in from the bathroom and I raise my head to look at her. She’s wearing a filmy garment, pale silvery blue and not opaque enough to conceal the outline of her body. The tight, demanding knot of my lust surges. 

She turns out the light and climbs into our bed, sliding all the way across the mattress to press the full length of her body against mine. I hiss in surprise and delight. I didn’t expect her to snuggle right up--there’s no denying the direction of my thoughts now.

“I really want you,” I tell her. I fully expect her to ask for a raincheck.

“Me too!” She rubs against me, her eyes heavy-lidded, arms twining around my neck. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

I can’t help grinning. “But we’re supposed to rest.”

“We’ll be lying down. That’s like resting, right?” Persephone’s smile is mischievous, including me in a conspiracy to defy our orders.

“How dare you say things like that and make me love you even more?”

She giggles. “Really, the audacity!”

Her mouth is on mine, her tongue fluttering inside, and I can’t resist. My hands go everywhere, slipping under her flimsy nightgown, cupping a full breast, exploring the slippery cleft that yields to my fingers.

Persephone moans in response. “Yes, right now, I want you inside!” She lifts her leg over my hip and guides me into her welcoming depths, my eager cock finding her hot and luxuriously wet. 

“Oh, Sweetness,” I sigh. “I love you so.”

She grinds and kisses me, soft noises of pleasure escaping her. I just hold on and let her use me however she wishes. I trail my fingers over her hips, feel the softly-padded flesh, the bones underneath. The goosebumps in her skin, and the slight dampness of sweat seeping from her pores. I love how she responds to me without fail. I love how she can make me lose myself in her. 

“Your new hand is so soft.” Her voice is pitched low, barely a breath.

“Thank you. I’m glad to please you.”

“My Smush got smushed!” she giggles. “Nobody else is allowed to smush you, understand?”

Her mood is infectious and I chuckle even while holding her hips and delving deep inside her. “Understood, little goddess. You were incredible today, smacking that monster around. I’ve never seen anything sexier!”

“Don’t think compliments will distract me. I  _ told _ you to take care of yourself!”

“I’m sorry.” My breath hitches as she nips my earlobe. “What can I do to make it up to you?”

Her breath tickles my neck. “I’ll let you know when I decide between naked cartwheels and growing a mustache.”

I giggle helplessly at her teasing. “Anything you want from me is yours.”

Persephone's hips pump rhythmically against mine, gripping my aching cock with warm waves of pleasure. “Definitely the cartwheels then. So much funnier than facial hair!”

Her laughter blends with mine even as our bodies strive for a more urgent tempo. I'm holding back my exhaustion merely by act of will, but loving Persephone is no chore. She rubs hard against me, moaning, and the sound is so delightful that it snaps the last threads of my control.

It doesn’t matter. She gives a sharp cry just as I start to peak, squeezing me convulsively with her inner muscles, extending my pleasure. I hold her tight and shudder, murmuring soft words into her neck.

We lie together after, warm and languid, stroking with fingertips and exchanging soft kisses. It’s dark and quiet, and the remnants of today’s tension are melting away. 

“Our child will be a boy. Gaia told me,” she whispers.

“Really?” I’m so filled with emotions I can’t think. “That’s--it’s wonderful! I would have been thrilled with a girl, too, but just knowing--”

“Makes it more real. More personal. Our baby is a person.”

“Yes, exactly!”

She kisses me with infinite tenderness. “You’re going to be such a good father to our son.”

I have nothing to say to that. I fall asleep with Persephone in my arms, secure in her trust.

  
  


**Persephone:**

We sleep very late the next day, then enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Making the most of our new freedom, we take the dogs with us and go for a long walk. I’m feeling a lot better than yesterday, but not completely myself. A walk is the height of my ambition.

The villagers welcome us with awed expressions and tremendous deference. I can see that Hades is a little taken aback by the dramatic change in mortals’ behavior towards him. We make a brief visit to our temples, checking on the construction progress. Eunelia and Serapis are both happy to see us.

After a while we take our leave, completing our walk down by the seashore. Hades throws sticks for the dogs, who cavort and bark joyfully in the waves. I laugh so hard at their antics I have to sit down in the sand.

“Are you all right, Sweetness? Had enough for today?”

“I’m fine. It’s just nice to be out enjoying the day with you.”

He smiles and takes my hand. “Let’s go home. We’re supposed to rest, aren’t we?”

“Oh yes, I’m definitely in the mood for more  _ resting. _ ”

We walk back slowly, hand in hand. When we arrive at the little shrine at the bottom of the hill, I take a few moments to put a wreath of orchids around the shoulders of Hades’s statue. He smiles and strokes my back.

“Now make some for yours,” he says.

“Okay. What should I make?”

“Myrtle and pink carnations,” he replies promptly.

I bite my lip, understanding his message, and make the requested wreath. I hand it to my husband and watch while he places it. 

I take his hand in mine again and we climb the hill of Eleusis, the dogs gamboling around our feet. We walk through the courtyard and in through the front door. Hades stops, holding my hand until I turn to him, then pulls me into his arms. His kiss is soft and undemanding, but with heat behind it.

“Lunch or nap first?” he asks. “No, wait, I know the answer to that. I’ll make lunch.”

I laugh and pat the small, firm swell of my belly. “Yup, the little bean sprout demands more food. I’m getting predictable.”

He laughs. “You are endlessly delightful, Persephone. Why don’t you go sit outside, and I’ll bring you something?”

I can’t argue with that. It’s obvious to both of us that he’s recovering from yesterday faster than I am. I pour myself a glass of iced tea and go out to the terrace, settling into a chair in the shade. The dogs flop down around me, content to nap since it’s gotten so hot. I hold my cold glass against my cheeks and idly contemplate whether I want a swim. Maybe later. It seems like too much effort just now. 

A soft, diffident sound interrupts my reverie. My mother is standing between two of my planting beds, smiling at me. “Is now a good time for our talk, Persephone?”

“Certainly. Come sit down, Mama.”

Mother takes a chair nearby, but makes no attempt to touch me. Her posture is rigidly formal. “I want to offer you my deepest apologies for how I’ve behaved. I made assumptions about you and your capacity to protect yourself and make your own decisions, and I never took the time to reevaluate my opinions based on the reality I observed. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

I’m a little surprised by the scope of her apology. “I know you were trying to protect me as best you could,” I say. 

She nods. “I was wrong about Hades. I allowed my knowledge about Zeus and my feelings about Poseidon to influence my opinion of their brother. I have been reevaluating how I’ve treated him ever since the Titanomachy and I don’t like what my behavior says about me and my prejudices.”

“I see.” This is far more than I expected from her. 

“I made some things for you. For the baby, I mean. Some little sweaters, for the baby to keep warm in the Underworld. I’m working on a blanket, too.”

“Oh!” I’m quite surprised, but more than that, delighted. She’s showing her acceptance!

Mother’s mouth twists with anxiety. “I can see that he really does love you.”

“Yes, he does.”

“I hurt you through my actions, but I can do better. I said that I release Hades from the restrictions of the Agreement, but I want to modify it further. I’d like your commitment to be here every Spring, for the whole season, but that’s it. You can go home after that.”

My heart pounds with unrestrained joy. I can go home! “That’s very generous, Mama.”

“I’m doing my best, sweetheart. I want you to be happy.”

“Thank you. What about the mortals?”

“I think it would be best to continue having Winter, though not so bad as last year. The fallow period seems to be boosting productivity greatly.”

“Yes. Almost as if death is an important part of the life cycle.”

She nods, controlling her expression. “I’m not too old to learn a few things. Even from my daughter.”

I smile as Hades comes out with a platter of food and a pitcher of lemonade. “Good afternoon, Demeter,” he says. “You’re just in time for lunch.”

“Oh, I couldn’t impose--” she starts.

“You should stay. We have more to talk about,” I say. 

Hades sits down and serves the food. We all eat a little tentatively, watching one another. Mother is still very tense, as am I.

“I saw your brother yesterday,” Mama says. “I haven’t seen him in so long.”

“He was very brave, I hear.”

“And foolhardy,” Hades puts in. 

“I’ve been thinking about how I treated him, too. He rejected me, because I had failed him,” says Mother. “I had failed to provide what he needed to grow and learn, to find his place in the world. So he left me behind, and that hurt more than anything I have ever known.” She chews and swallows for a moment, then raises her eyes to me, profound with the weight of regret. “I did the same thing to you. Didn’t I?”

“It’s not too late, Mama. I love you, don’t you know? After lunch, let’s go see if we can find my brother.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tremendous thanks to Red for outstanding beta work through thick and thin, for over a year now. You're the best!
> 
> Additional thanks to artdork, RoselessThorn, EllisEmme_Writes, Spooks_on_Parade, daalex, VesperNights, scholarlydragon, and porkiswayne for being my people. I would be a quivering pile of goo without you all, let alone being able to write!
> 
> Happy birthday to porkiswayne!
> 
> Follow @VerdiWithin on Twitter for previews and updates.
> 
> Talisman is coming to an end and Episode 62 will be the last of the main storyline. At some point I will post some epilogues, since I know you will have questions!
> 
> I have already begun work on my next LO fanfic.


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